FORT BRAGG, N.C. — The 82nd Airborne Division hosted its inaugural Innovation Drop Zone competition, March 29, 2023, at the Airborne Innovation Lab at Fort Bragg. The Innovation Drop Zone is the culmination of an ongoing collaboration and partnership between the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command and the 82nd Airborne Division.

The event featured six groundbreaking projects developed into viable products over a six-month period. Each finalist team in the Innovation Drop Zone competition presented a unique problem statement, innovation solution and prototype created through this innovative partnership.

“I expect guns and leaders to the front in order to apply pressure to relieve friction and that’s exactly what our paratroopers are going to do today,” said Maj. Gen. Christopher LaNeve, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division.

Panel members included Maj. Gen. Christopher LaNeve, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division; Command Sgt. Maj. Randolph Delapena, command sergeant major of the 82nd Airborne Division; U.K. Brig. Gen. Neil Den-McKay, deputy to the commanding general of plans for the 82nd Airborne Division; Mr. Zeke Topolosky, chief of the Technology Transition Office at the Combat Capabilities Command Army Research Laboratory; Dr. Ronald Reago Jr., director of the C5ISR Center’s Research and Technology Integration Directorate; Dr. Anne Marie Petrock, senior research scientist for Warheads Technology in the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Armaments Center; and Mrs. Meridith Fonseca, director of research and development at the U.S. Army Special Operations Command Force Modernization Center.

The winners of this competition are 1st Lt. Christopher Bruce and Spc. Dimitry Boylan of Delta Company, 2-504 Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team. They created the flip down keypad display unit holder, which is an attachment that provides an efficient way to secure the end user device while allowing the user to operate it with one hand.

“Participating in this competition was an incredibly rewarding and humbling experience,” said Bruce. “While developing our project, we realized our product could solve a problem the entire division was facing. We hope our experience shows paratroopers that they can make a positive impact on the division and create innovative solutions with the resources available to them.”

The team received an Army Commendation Medal, a four-day pass, attendance to a school of choice within each paratrooper’s MOS and a $500 team cash prize along with the first 82nd Airborne Division Innovation Cup for 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.

The competition is part of the division’s transformation efforts that work to accomplish three tasks:

Command-directed “you will go figure this out” problem solving;

Modernizing by integrating and helping to create informed requirements with developmental partners; and

Facilitating a paratrooper raising their hand and stating, “I have this problem, I want to solve it for all paratroopers.”

This is taking care of our piece of the Army by providing the paratrooper the opportunities, facilities and skills necessary to develop tangible and actionable solutions to the contemporary problems faced on the drop zone.

“Today is a historic day in the division,” Maj. Gen. LaNeve stated. “Inside this division we are trying to transform as fast as possible; based off lessons learned from Ukraine, lessons learned over the last 20 years, and taking a look forward as best as we can to train how we will fight.”

The next Innovation Drop Zone will be held Sept. 6, 2023. For more information about the 82nd Airborne Division Innovation Drop Zone or the Airborne Innovation Lab check out the Airborne Innovation Lab website.

Story by MAJ Deirdra Johnson

Photos by SGT Robert Whitlow

TAMPA, Fla. — The eighth iteration of Dragon’s Lair was co-hosted by the U.S. Special Operations Command and the 18th Airborne Corps, which brought the finalists to the University of South Florida’s Research and Innovation Park in Tampa on Mar. 29, 2023.

During the competition, seven innovations that were developed by individuals and teams were presented in front of a panel of expert judges from government, industry, academia and investors. Each innovator had seven minutes to present the concept, scope and application of their ideas, which was followed by 12 minutes of questions generated by the judging panel.

After careful deliberation, the judges selected the Mold Conditions Awareness Tool, or MCAT, that was presented by U.S. Army 1st Lt. Chris Aliperti and Pvt. Salem Ezz from the 3rd Infantry Division, as the top innovation of Dragon’s Lair 8.

The MCAT is a specialized 3D-printed device that uses sensors to detect temperature and humidity levels within barracks rooms to identify early signs of mold. The data is ingested in real-time to an application through Wi-Fi that enhances military leaders and barracks managers’ visualization to assess the conditions and remediate through taking action.

“Dragon’s Lair was a great opportunity to present our ideas to leaders across the Department of Defense and the civilian sector,” Aliperti said. “It is not every day you get to present your ideas on improving the Army to a three and four-star general, so it was a great honor to be selected.”

Aliperti and Ezz expected the first problem they would address would focus on national security. “We did not expect to find the greatest threat to our Soldiers right now was within their own living areas,” said Aliperti.

The 18th Airborne Corps was fortunate to have Ms. Kathi Vidal, U.S. Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trade Office, as a judge. Her experience and resources will help the innovator service members find a pathway to patent their intellectual property.

“I thought all the ideas today were so phenomenal,” said Vidal. “We saw these innovators really put their boots on the ground to see their projects through and create concrete solutions for real problems the Army currently faces.”

Ezz spent months developing the MCAT, and now it is being beta tested in barracks on Fort Stewart.

“It feels great to be recognized for our technical skills in software engineering and product management,” said Ezz. “This tool has been months in the making and it feels great that the hard work has been recognized by the Department of Defense.”

U.S. Army Gen. Bryan Fenton, commander of USSOCOM, presented Certificates of Achievement to the seven competing teams, thanking them all for their participation in Dragon’s Lair.

Canadian Army Brigadier General Pierre “Pete” Huet, the Assistant Commanding General of Operations, 18th Airborne Corps, directs modernization and innovation initiatives for the Corps.

“This was the best episode of Dragon’s Lair yet,” said Huet. “These innovators had their voices heard by industry and military leaders, and their concepts will make a real impact across the U.S. Department of Defense.”

With their selection, Aliperti and Ezz each were presented with the Meritorious Service Medal, they will be allowed to attend a military school of choice, and they will receive the support and resources from U.S. Special Operations Command and the 18th Airborne Corps to propel their idea’s implementation across the U.S. Department of Defense.

Story by SGT Jameson Harris

Photos by SGT Maxine Baen